Author: Benoit de Bernardy Editor: Robin J. Samuels Cover Artist: Raluca Marinescu Interior Illustrator: Raluca Marinescu Cartographer: Benoit de Bernardy Graphic Designer: Benoit de Bernardy Special Thanks to: Clément Goubet, Garry Travis Credits Introduction 3 Adventu Adventure Back re Background 3 Adventu Adventure Synopsy re Synopsys 4 Running the Adventure 4 Part 1: A Suspicious Fire 6 The Baron of Ironford 6 Jacksal Jacksal Longboot Longboot 7 Mortimer Wormstooth 7 The Demon Ash 9 The Missing Children 10 Development 10 Part 2: The Pie Contest 11 Development 11 Part 3: The Demon of Part 3: The Demon of Womford 12 Getting Started 12 Carla Ruttenberry 13 The Exorcism 14 Development 14 Part 4: Into the Hills 15 The Elven Hunters 15 The Hunter’s Cottage 16 Conclusion 17 Story Awards 17 Ironford Knights 17 Adventur Adventures in W es in Womford 17 The Village of The Village of Womford 19 New Monsters 23 Tables of Contents DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and Coast in the USA and other countries. All character other countries. All characters and their distincti s and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. e likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. of the Coast. www.goblinston .goblinstone.com Copyright © Benoit de Bernardy 2016
3 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED “I don’t care what the law says. You hurt that family family, you k , you knew you would you would, and now you now you’re going e going to jail.” - Baron Harrick of Ironford anquet of the Damned is a short adventure for 3 to 5 characters of levels 3 to 5. You can play the adventure any time the PCs travel through the village of Womford during the autumn. Every year, on the tenth of Nightal, the villagers of Womford organize a large banquet in honor of their patron goddess Chauntea. What started out as a small reunion between neighbors has turned into the most important event of the year: the Womford Pie Contest! Mortimer Wormstooth and Jacksal Longboot are the best bakers in town and the only serious contestants. The two farmers never got along, but ever since the contest started, their animosity has turned into hatred. Mortimer is a superstitious man and a sore loser. Every year, he asks Carla Ruttenberry for help beating Jacksal. Carla is a would-be witch who has been selling bogus magical charms to Mortimer for years. The young girl isn’t all bad and actually feels remorse for her deception. When she came in contact with a gulabus (a demon of gluttony), she made a pact with the fiend, hoping that it could help Mortimer win the pie contest. The result was catastrophic. The demon possessed the witch and placed a curse on Mortimer. The farmer now has to choose between death and preparing a batch of demonic apple pies for the contest. If the PCs don’t stop him, the gulabus might actually gain control of the entire village. Adventure Background Banquet of the Damned takes place a few months after the Princes of the Apocalypse events. Over a decade ago, the baron Harrick of Ironford abandoned his responsibilities to Womford to become an adventurer. When he learned that brigands and thieves had briefly taken control of his village, he returned to claim his fief and to restore law and order. His first act was to rehabilitate his family’s fortified house. While removing debris from the old Ironford keep, one of the workers came across a wooden statuette of an obese man. The figurine clearly had no value and the quartermaster allowed him to keep it. The worker worker then sold th then sold the figurine. e figurine. After sw After switching itching hands multiple times, Carla Ruttenberry saw it lying on a table in a client’s cottage. She immediately identified it for what it really was and traded it for a palm reading. The statuette is a link to the spirit of a demon of greed. The item slowly builds a mental connection between the fiend and its owner. Carla knew this and used the figurine to strike a bargain with the gulabus. The would-be witch, however, didn’t know that her deal with the demon would corrupt her soul and allow it to possess possess her. Demons of greed have the ability to infuse specially prepared food with their essence and gain limited control over anyone who eats it. Gulabuses gain the ability to communicate telepathically with an affected creature, make it hallucinate, and cause lethal maggots to appear in its stomach. They typically use these abilities B Harrick of Ironford
4 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED to coerce their victims into doing their bidding. A contaminated person also gains the ability to prepare this cursed food if he can find the necessary reagents. It didn’t take long for the gulabus to realize that the Womford Pie Contest was the perfect opportunity to corrupt the entire village. The fiend used Mortimer’s friendship with Carla with Carla to contamin to contaminate him a ate him and force the baker to prepare apple pies infused with the demon’s essence for the contest. Mortimer needed a highly flammable chemical compound called demon ash to make the cursed food. The farmer made a whole batc whole batch of it in h of it in advance advance for the for the banquet in honor of Chauntea. Jacksal Jacksal’s daughte s daughter, Jayda , Jayda, was tired of seeing her father obsessed with the c with the competition a ompetition and decide nd decided to sabotage his oven so that he couldn’t compete. Timeo Wormstooth is Jayda’s best frie s best friend and M nd and Mortimer’ ortimer’s son. When Jayda told Timeo about her plan, the young boy su young boy suggested s ggested stealing som tealing some of the de e of the demon ash and using it to burn the oven. A nearly uncontrollable fire ensued. Adventure Synopsis The adventure starts two days before the banquet in honor of Chauntea. Shortly after the characters arrive in Womford, the baron Harrick of Ironford somehow learns that the PCs are in town and hires them to find out what happened to Jacksal’s kitchen (see “A Suspicious Fire”). During this short investigation, they discover that a demon is living amongst the villagers. Even if the players fail at the first part of the adventure, it doesn’t end there. Without anyone to stop him, Mortimer contaminates many villager villagers (see “the s (see “the Pie Contest Pie Contest”). Some tow ”). Some townsfolk experience strange side effects during that banquet which allow the town priestess to guess that a demon is living in Womford. Regardless of how the PCs find out about it, the baron urges them to rid the town of the gulabus. The PCs first need to find the demon (see “The Demon of Womford”) then defeat it in its lair (see “Into the Hills”). Running the Adventure When prepa When preparing to DM ring to DM this adv this adventure, se enture, several tools can help you start strong and run it smoothly. Getting the PCs into Town The adventure assumes that the PCs are passing through town and decide to stay for the pie contest. You can also start the adventure in any of the towns around Waterdeep by using the Mac Pie adventure hook. Marvin Mac Pie is a wealthy merchant who loves good food. When he survived what should have been an incurable disease a few years ago, he decided to taste as many exquisite dishes as possible before he dies, and created the Mac Pie Foundation to that end. The organization is a group of foodies who travel through Faerûn in search of the best recipes. It has agents in most of the major settlements around Waterdeep. If you don’t know how to get the PCs to Womford, you could have an agent hire the adventurers to escort her to the Womford Pi omford Pie Contest. e Contest. Starting the Adventure Shortly before the PCs arrive in Womford, a fire occurred in Jacksal’s kitchen. He and his family are safe but his oven is destroyed.
5 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED The baron Harrick of Ironford is a superb swordsman but he’s not the sharpest sword in the armory. He knows his intelligence is limited and that he’ll need outside help to look into the matter. The adventure begins when the baron visits the PCs and asks them to investigate the arson. “A Suspicious Fire” describes the PCs’ arrival in Womford, thei omford, their first meeti r first meeting with H ng with Harrick, arrick, and the ensuing investigation. Carla Ruttenberry The gulabus possessed Carla Ruttenberry two tendays before the PCs arrive in Womford, and it’s now using her body as a vessel in the Material Plane. Shortly after the demon possessed her, her body started to transform. A tenday later, the deformities were such that the gulabus had to leave town to hide its existence. Carla was in love with one of the hunters who lived in the wooded hills outside of Womford. When Carl When Carla’s deformiti s deformities became es became too obvious, too obvious, the demon killed the hunter and found refuge in his house. If for whatever reason the PCs search for Carla, they find a note on her door saying she’s out of town for a few days. The hunter’s dog is waiting near Carla’s house for its master to come back. If the PCs interact with the dog, they might accidently find the demon (see “Carla Ruttenberry” on page 13). Roleplaying The adventure lists the information that the NPCs know as bullet points for your convenience but feel free to roleplay the interactions if you want to, a want to, and reveal wha eal what the NPCs k t the NPCs know as pa now as part of a conversation. For example, if the characters wish to ga wish to gather rumors, ther rumors, you can you can ask them w ask them where they go and make up a chatty farmer who tells them what he knows. Similarly, when the PCs need to make a Charisma check to obtain information, the adventure only indicates the DC of the check but you can a you can ask your pl sk your players to impersonat to impersonate their e their character or describe his or her actions before allowing the check. The Village of Womford Most of the adventure takes place in Womford but you can easily adapt it and run it in any village. village. “The Vil “The Village of lage of Womford” app omford” appendix at endix at the end of the adventure describes the hamlet, its notable people, and its places of its notable people, and its places of interest. interest. When an When an NPC is profici NPC is proficient in a ent in a skill that skill that might be relevant to the adventure, her entry also indicates her check modifier for that skill. Timeline You can find ou can find below t below the chronol he chronology of ev ogy of events that occurred before the adventurers arrive in Womford. omford. - 35 days. Carla Ruttenberry acquires the figurine of the gulabus. -21 days. Georgina Georgina Tucker arrives in ucker arrives in Womford and decides to stay until after the pie contest. -20 days. Carla tries to strike a bargain with the gulabus but the demon possesses her instead. -19 days. The demon (in Carla’s body) bakes cursed cookies and gives them to Mortimer. Later that day, a talking maggot (a hallucination) orders Mortimer to make apple pies infused with the d with the demon’s essence s essence for the W for the Womford Pie omford Pie Contest. - 18 days. Mortimer buys firesprout basalt from Georgina Tucker and prepares large quantities of demon ash. - 17 days to - - 17 days to -11 days. 11 days. Mortimer practices how to make the demonic apple pies at night. The gulabus uses the few pies Mortimer doesn’t mess up to mess up to contaminat contaminate more people outside of e more people outside of Womford. omford. -10 days. The demonic possession has deformed Carla’s body too much and the gulabus needs to find a safe place to stay. It finds refuge in a cottage that belongs to Carla’s lover, deep in the wooded hills around Womford. The gulabus kills Carla’s lover on the road and leaves his dog behind in Womford. - 1 day - 1 day. Timeo steals some of the demon ash that Mortimer made and brings it to his friend Jayda. Day 0 (early Day 0 (early). Jayda and Timeo sabotag meo sabotage Jacksal Jacksal’s oven. A s oven. An uncontroll n uncontrollable fire able fire nearly burns Jacksal’s house. The two children go into hiding and Mortimer buries the remaining demon ash by the Dessarin River. Day 0. The PCs arrive in Womford. Day 0 (later Day 0 (later). Harrick asks the adventurers to investigate the mysterious fire in Jacksal’s kitchen. +2 days: If the PCs fail to stop If the PCs fail to stop Mortimer Mortimer before the banquet in honor of Chauntea, he contaminates many of the villagers during the pie contest.
6 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Part 1: A Suspicious Fire “A Suspicious Fire” is a short investigation during which the PCs either learn that a gulabus is trying to contaminate the village with its cursed food, or that a demon is living amongst the villagers. When the When the PCs arriv PCs arrive in town, e in town, read or read or paraphrase the text boxed below. Womford is a omford is a tiny vil tiny village on lage on the banks the banks of the Dessarin River. Other than the docks, a stone church, and a grist mill, there’s nothing here. There aren’t any shops, nor blacksmiths, nor inns, nor taverns. Just as you were about to head back to the Bargewright Inn on the other side of the river, a humble peasant approaches you. “H you. “Heya! Me name’s Jones Spi s Jones Spitfire. Are y tfire. Are you guys looking for something? If ya need, Ma’s got plenty beds to rent for a few silver coins. We also g e also got shops but y ot shops but ya need to a need to ask. Tho ask. Those fancy door signs cost money that we ain’t got.” After the After the PCs are settl PCs are settled down ed down and you and you’re ready to start the adventure, the baron of Ironford pays them a visit. The Baron of Ironford The baron shouldn’t have any trouble finding the PCs in Womford. When he does, read of paraphrase the boxed text below. As you As you’re walking walking around tow around town looking f n looking for something interesti something interesting to do, ng to do, a tall muscular a tall muscular man in his mid-thirties approaches you. His confident look, his battle scars, and the mithril shirt under his tunic all suggest he’s an adventurer. He says his name is baron Harrick of Ironford. The baron doesn’t care much for protocol. He bluntly tells the PCs that he’s a mediocre detective and that he needs their help figuring out what happened in Jacksal’s kitchen. He offers 250 gold pieces and a small plot of land in Womford for their help. He only asks that the players don’t kill anyone unless provoked. The PCs can learn the following information by talking with Harrick: † The village organizes a large banquet in honor of Chauntea every year. This year’s ceremony is supposed to take place in two days. The party also includes the Womford Pie Contest. † Mortimer Wormstooth and Jacksal Longboot are the only two serious competitors. For everyone else, the contest is just an excuse to eat their delicious apple pies. † A fire occu A fire occurred earl rred earlier in the ier in the day. Jacksa . Jacksal’s entire kitchen and part of his house were destroyed. Without his oven, Jacksal says he can’t win the contest. † Mortimer and Jack never got along. Since the pie contest started, it only has gotten worse. † The baron doesn’t think the fire was an accident because Jacksal says his oven blew up. He thinks Mortimer did this and openly suggests the characters sneak into his house to search for clues. Baron Harrick of Ironford Baron Harrick of Ironford is a typical medieval noble. He spends most of his days hunting and practicing his swordplay. The baron left his home fifteen years ago to become an adventurer. When his father died, he didn’t feel capable of governing and didn’t come back to fulfill his duty. Harrick is an ill-mannered, short-tempered, but good-hearted man. He cares very little for rules and protocol, and doesn’t hesitate to break the law to bring wrongdoers to justice. As long a As long as the pla s the players don yers don’t butcher an utcher anyone, he’ll overlook their transgressions.
7 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Jacksal’s Kitchen The kitchen was completely destroyed during the fire. If the PCs carefully inspect what remains of the oven, they notice that some of the stone melted. The Melted Stone. Burning wood doesn’t produce enough heat to melt stone, which suggests that something else than wood was in the oven when it blew up. If the players don’t guess this on their own, you can ask them to make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) to learn this. Family Members Jayda and Timeo went meo went into hidin into hiding as soon g as soon as they as they learned the baron was investigating the fire. The characters won’t be able to interrogate either of them until they find them (see “The Missing Children” on page 10). Jacksal Jacksal is marrie is married to Vanessa w anessa with whom h ith whom he has six children: William, Babushka, Cyprian, Rose, Anthony, and Jayda. Apart from Jayda, none of them know anything about the fire. If the adventurers wish to interrogate any of the family members, Jacksal tells them that William is out in the fields, that Babushka went to her in-laws’ until they rebuild the house, and that Anthony and Jayda are playing outside. (Cyprian, Rose, and Jacksal’s wife Vanessa are in the house most of the time.) Mortimer Wormstooth Mortimer never met the demon of greed and doesn’t even know it exists. He only saw Carla a day after the gulabus possessed her. During their meeting, the would-be witch gave Mortimer cookies infused with the demon’s essence. Shortly after Carla’s visit, the gulabus used its newfound power over Mortimer to make him hallucinate. A talking maggot dug out of an apple and threatened to kill the farmer if he didn’t do as instructed or talked to anyone about their meeting. The maggot then explained how to make the demonic apple pies for the contest. The chemical compound that Jayda used to burn her dad’s oven is called demon ash. It’s one of the two reagents Mortimer needs to make the cursed pies. When the farmer learned about the fire in Jacksal’s kitchen, he buried his demon ash supply by the river as a precaution. The PCs won’t find it in his h it in his house but the ouse but they might b y might be able to follow his tracks to the cache (see “The River Cache” below). Jacksal Longboot Jacksal Jacksal is a midd is a middle-aged le-aged farmer w farmer who made ho made a small fortune selling grain. He now makes most of his income renting his land and lending money to other farmers. Jacksal Jacksal isn’t a pleasant pleasant person to be person to be around. around. He’s arrogant s arrogant, always in , always in a hurry, and believes believes everything can be bought, even people. He despises anyone of lower status and barely tries to conceal it. He’s also a loving and caring family man. His spouse and children are the only things he cares about more than money. He’s especially close to his youngest daughter Jayda. Jacksal Longboot The PCs can find strong hints that the fire wasn’t an accident by asking Jacksal what happened, or by inspecting his kitchen. Talking to Jacksal Jacksal Jacksal almost died almost died in the fire. in the fire. When the P When the PCs interrogate him, he’s still in shock. He’s confused and stutters but he can otherwise answer their questions. The characters can learn the following information by talking to Jacksal: † Jacksal Jacksal thinks M thinks Mortimer W ortimer Wormstooth tried ormstooth tried to kill him. He and Mortimer have been rivals since they were kids. They’ve always competed for everything: who can spit the furthest, who can drink the most, who’s the most successful with the ladies, who’s the wealthi wealthiest farmer est farmer, etc. † Jacksal Jacksal was pra was practicing in cticing in his kitc his kitchen when hen when the fire occurred. He explains that his oven blew up and that green flames spewed out of it. The fire then rapidly spread to the entire kitchen. He barely made it out alive. † The neighbors were quick to react and managed to save his house. Jacksal says that without his without his oven, he oven, he won’t be able to e able to compete. compete. The Green Flames. Burning wood doesn’t produce green flames. This suggests that something other than wood was in the oven when it bl when it blew up. If the pla If the players don yers don’t figure this ure this out on their own, you can ask them to make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) to learn this.
8 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Talking to Mortimer The farmer is scared for his life. The PCs will need to persuade him that they can protect him or threaten to kill him before he says anything about the worm or the chemical compounds. He’ll freely talk about other things. Without further convincing, the PCs only learn the following information: † Jacksal Jacksal and Mor and Mortimer are timer are long-time r long-time rivals b ivals but he would never do anything illegal or unlawful to beat him. † He doesn’t have anything to do with the fire. He was in his house minding his own business when it happened. † Jacksal Jacksal is a ruthl is a ruthless busines ess businessman and sman and a notorious bully. Mortimer wouldn’t be surprised if someone finally decided to take action against him. The Demon Inside. Fiendish maggots are growing inside Mortimer and they’re making him sick. He looks pale, has dark circles under his eyes, and a raspy voice. With a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Me Wisdom (Medicine) c dicine) check, a heck, a character identifie ter identifies the symptoms as those of the symptoms as those of a supernatural curse a supernatural curse or disease. A detect good and evil spell cast on Mortimer also reveals a faint fiendish aura emanating from inside of him. Readin Reading Mortimer g Mortimer. Mortimer is nervous during the interrogation. A character that succeeds on a DC 17 Wisdom (Insight) check notices it. Convincing Convincing Mortimer Mortimer. The PCs need to convince Mortimer that they can help him or rough him up if they want him to talk. Either of these requires a DC 16 Charisma check. If the characters detected the fiendish presence inside Mortimer and use this information to scare him, they have advantage to these checks. The PCs can also use mind-reading or mind-controlling magic to learn what happened to him. Once the PCs find a way to get the information out of the farmer, they learn the following: † Two tendays ago, Mortimer was in his kitchen cooking when a talking worm dug out of an apple. It told him that maggots were growing in his stomach, and that they would kill him if he didn’t do as instructed or if he talked to anyone about their encounter. † During the conversation, Mortimer felt an intense stomach ache and regurgitated what appeared to be ordinary house fly appeared to be ordinary house fly larva. † The worm ordered Mortimer to prepare a batch of special apple pies for the Womford Pie Contest. The farmer is to ground the flesh of the maggots from his stomach and mix it into the dough. He then needs to bake the pies using a highly flammable combustible and say a few words in a strange language during the baking. (He also tells the PC how to make the combustible and the words he needs to chant.) † The worm also asked Mortimer to practice making these pies until the contest, and to leave the apple pies he makes behind the southern granary, near the docks. † Mortimer prepared some of the chemicals in advance for the banquet. When he heard about the fire in Jacksal’s kitchen, he got worried worried that the ba that the baron might ron might search his house his house and buried them by the river. Ritual Mag Ritual Magic. When Mortimer describes what the worm asked him to do, the adventurers immediately suspect that it’s some kind of magical ritual (no check required). With a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check, a character knows it’s the ritual that gulabuses use to infuse food with their essence (see “The Gulabus’s Cursed Food” sidebar on page 9). Mortimer Wormstooth Mortimer is a bitter man. His wife died in childbirth and he never really recovered. He lives in a large cottage with his only child, Timeo. He makes an honest living working on his farm. He’s also a well-respected philanthropi philanthropist who provides food to st who provides food to the poor in the poor in times of need. Mortimer is a good man who let a bully define him. Ever since they were children, Jacksal Jacksal has been has been harassing harassing and humi and humiliating liating him. One day, Mortimer got tired of it and stood up to Jacksal. They have been fighting ever since. Mortimer’s House The PCs won’t find anything in Mortimer’s house. The demon ash he prepared for the pie contest is the only evidence that can tie him to the fire. When he When he learned th learned the baron w e baron was investigating estigating on the arson, he hid the combustible by the Dessarin.
9 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Tracking Mortimer. Mortimer did a fairly poor job of conce job of concealing his aling his tracks wh tracks when he w en he went to the ent to the river. A character can make a DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check to follow them (see “The River Cache” below). The River Cache Mortimer hid the chemicals a few yards away from the Dessarin River. When the PCs arrive at the place, they immediately notice the turned earth that betrays where he buried them. The PCs find a small wooden box a foot below the ground with the demon ash in it. The Demon Ash. A character can make a DC 16 Intelligence (Religion) check to identify the demon ash. On a successful check, she knows that fiends often use this that fiends often use this type of combustible type of combustible in their rituals and that a demon is most likely living in Womford. Family Members Mortimer lives alone with his son Timeo. If the PCs ask to talk to the boy, Mortimer tells them that he went out to play with his friends. Timeo lied to his father. He’s actually hiding from the PCs with his best friend Jayda (see “the Missing Children” on page 10). The Demon Ash Mortimer needs a chemical compound called demon ash to infuse his apple pies with the gulabus’s essence. One of its reagents is a rare semi-magical rock called firesprout basalt. Mortimer couldn’t find any of it around Womford and had to buy it from a peddler who stayed in town for the pie contest. After the After the PCs search PCs search Jacksal’ Jacksal’s kitchen s kitchen, they might decide to ask all the alchemists in town if anyone bought chemicals these past days. This leads them to an uncooperative wandering merchant. Finding an Alchemist If the PCs ask the villagers where to find an alchemist, they will be told that nobody in town has that skillset. They say that Carla Ruttenberry is the closest thing to an alchemist they have, and that she only knows how to make love charms and medicinal concoctions. Some of the townsfolk also suggest asking the merchants who are who are in Womford for th omford for the pie conte e pie contest. The only person in town who sells alchemical supplies is a peddler called Georgina Tucker. She arrived two tendays ago and decided to stay when sh when she learned e learned about the pie about the pie contest. contest. Interrogating Georgina Mortimer bought the firesprout basalt from Georgina Georgina Tucker. The woman gladly woman gladly sells alchemical supplies to the PCs but she won’t The Gulabus’s Cursed Food Demons of greed have the ability to infuse specially prepared food with their essence and gain limited control over anyone who eats it. Gulabuses gain the ability to communicate telepathically with an affected creature, make it hallucinate, and kill it. (All of these abilities have a thirty mile range.) Gulabuses typically use these abilities to coerce their victims into doing their bidding. The source of the demon’s curse are the maggots that grow inside the stomach of anyone who eats the demonic food. A cleric of a non-evil faith can exorcise them with a tedious ritual, and free a contaminated person from the demon’s control. A contami A contaminated pers nated person can al on can also infuse fo so infuse food with the with the demon’s essence. s essence. This person This person first needs to regurgitate some of the maggots growing in his stomach and use them as an ingredient in the food he prepares. He then needs to cook this food using a combustible called demon ash, and chant a few incomprehensible words during the cooking. The timing and the pronunciation of these words must be perfect for the ritual to work. If work. If anythin anything goes w g goes wrong, the food is the food is either powerless or has side effects.
10 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED talk about her other clients without a bribe. She knows that ratting on her customers is the best way to way to make ne make new enemie w enemies. If the PCs If the PCs ask Georgina for information, she ask Georgina for information, she tells them that she might have sold chemicals to someone a couple of tendays ago, and that 10 gold pieces would probably help her remember the details. If the PCs pay her or find another way to way to extract extract the informa the information out of he tion out of her, they learn the following: † A couple o A couple of tenda f tendays ago, ys ago, a man ca a man came to her me to her shop shortly before she closed for the night. He bought a large amount of firesprout basalt. † The man was wearing a hood and disguised his voice to conceal his identity. She doesn’t know who he is. † The customer paid with coin. She explains that people from small villages like Womford don’t normally have money and rely on barter to acquire goods. She thinks the customer is either a wealthy villager or a traveler. The Firesprout Basalt. Firesprout basalt is a type of rock that type of rock that forms when silicate compounds forms when silicate compounds are exposed to intense magical heat such as the one a fireball spell produces. A character can make a DC 14 Intelligence (Religion) check to learn that demons often use firesprout basalt in their rituals. With a successful check, the PC also deduces that a fiend is probably hiding in town. The Missing Children Timeo and Jayda are afraid that the baron might put them in jail if he finds out what they did to Jacksal’s kitchen. The two kids hide in an abandoned windmill until the PCs are gone. They still go home once in a while to notify their parents of their whereabouts to avoid suspicion. They typically tell them they’re out to play during the day and that they’re sleeping over at friends’ homes at night. Finding the Kids Timeo and Jayda avoid going home when the PCs are there. The only way the adventurers can catch them in their houses is to hide and wait for them. Both children have a +1 bonus to their Wisdom (Per Wisdom (Perception) c ception) checks. The PCs can also try to The PCs can also try to find their not-so-secre find their not-so-secret hideout. The children of Womford like to play in the old windmill half a mile outside of town. If the PCs ask around, one of the kids suggests Timeo and Jayda might be there. Interrogating Timeo and Jayda The two children try to conceal their implication in the arson. If the PCs ask about it, they tell them they’re here playing and deny having anything to do with the fire in Jacksal’s kitchen. The kids, however, are terrible liars and the characters immediately notice the deception (no check). If they confront the children with their lie, they panic and blurt out the truth, crying. The PCs learn the following information: † Jayda and Tim and Timeo hate the eo hate the pie contes pie contest because t because it makes their dads fight. † Jayda thought tha thought that if she t if she taught her taught her father a father a lesson, he and Mortimer would finally bury the hatchet. † She’s responsible for the fire but she never intended to burn her house. † The two children promise to work hard to pay for the repairs if the PCs agree not to tell the baron. † Timeo stole the Timeo stole the incendia incendiary compound ry compound from Mortimer. He says his dad had a lot of it. † Timeo is worried about his father. He’s been acting strangely for the past two tendays and spends all his nights baking apple pies. He says the fire coming out of his dad’s oven is pale green and that his dad is putting maggots in the pie dough. Ritual Mag Ritual Magic. With the m With the maggots an aggots and the gree d the green flames, the characters have enough information to understand what Mortimer is doing in his kitchen. If they succeed at a DC 17 Intelligence (Religion) check, the PCs learn that Mortimer is performing a ritual that infuses food with the essence of a demon of greed (see “The Gulabus’s Cursed Food” on page 9). The adventurers also know that Mortimer is probably acting under duress. Development If the characters learn that a gulabus contaminated Mortimer with its fiendish food, or that a demon is living amongst the villagers, they have everything they need to proceed to the next part of the adventure: “The Demon of Womford”. The characters, however, only have two days to learn this. If they fail to stop Mortimer before the banquet in honor of Chauntea, the farmer bakes the cursed apple pies and contaminates many village villagers (see “Th rs (see “The Pie Con e Pie Contest” be test” below).
11 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED There’s a small chance the players will fail to stop Mortimer before the pie contest. In stop Mortimer before the pie contest. In the unlikely event that this happens, the farmer contaminates the villagers during the Womford pie contest. The gulabus’s food is difficult to prepare and when the when the pie isn pie isn’t made properly de properly, it eithe , it either has side effects or no effect at all. A few hours after the pie contest, read or paraphrase the text boxed below. It’s the middle of the night. The banquet in honor of Chauntea started as a joyful party with a little drinking, delicious food and reckless dancing, but it has turned into the filthiest orgy you have ever seen. Many townsfolk are sitting at their table chugging their food like swine or bathing in their vomit unconscious. Judging fr Judging from the numbe om the number of people r of people shocked by the decadent show, something very wrong is happening. And then And then it strike it strikes you. The s you. The townsfolk l townsfolk lying under the tables aren’t sleeping. They’re dead and their bodies appear as if they had been for years. years. You then he ou then hear someone ar someone screaming screaming in terror. The vomit is moving and it appears to be attacking the villagers. Four puddles hastily move in your direction. The four puddles are vomit spawn vomit spawns (page 23) that attack the PCs. The creatures aren’t intelligent enough to use any particular tactic. They charge the PCs closest to them. Vomit Spawn Lore. A person who eats food tainted by the essence of a gulabus (see “The Gulabus’s Cursed Food” sidebar on page 9) sometimes turns into a vomit spawn. A PC who succeeds at a DC 12 Intelligence (Religion) check identifies the creature and knows that a gulabus is living in Womford. Development Even if the PCs don’t recognize the vomit spawns, Dakara Spuma does and connects them to a demon of greed. She shares this information with the b with the baron who aron who then asks then asks the char the characters to take care of the threat. You may proceed to the next part of the adventure: “The Demon of Womford. omford.” Part 2: The Pie Contest
12 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Part 3: The Demon of Womford The gulabus is hiding in the wooded hills around Womford. If omford. If the char the characters dis acters discovered covered that they’re dealing with a demon of greed, then this part of the adventure is just a short interlude in which D which Dakara Spum akara Spuma performs a performs an exorcism on orcism on Mortimer (or one of the townsfolk that ate the cursed food if the PCs failed to stop Mortimer before the banquet). Otherwise, they have to track the gulabus down from Carla’s house in Womford. omford. Getting Started The easiest way for the adventurers to get started is to ask the baron or the town priestess for guidance. The PCs can also make an Intelligence check to learn more about demons and how to find them (see “Demon Lore” below). The Baron’s Request If Harrick somehow learns about the demon, he summons the PCs and asks them to kill it. He offers them 200 gp and his mithril c mithril chain shi hain shirt for their help. He also suggests talking to Dakara Spuma. As a priestess of Chauntea, she might have an idea or two on how to locate the fiend. Dakara Spuma The PCs can find Dakara Spuma in St. Oswald’s Church. She greets the characters with a warm smil warm smile and a e and a hug. How she ca ow she can help the characters depends on whether they know that they’re facing a gulabus or not. If the adventurers only know that a demon is hiding in Womford, they don’t have much to go with. Dakara Spuma explains that the demon should have allies in Womford, and that finding them could give the characters clues on where to find it. She also tells the PCs that people consorting with demons often have odd behaviors or physical deformities, and that they isolate themselves because of this. She suggests asking around if people noticed anyone acting or looking strange, and if anyone is missing. If the characters know about the gulabus, she can tell them more about what they’re facing and even suggests a plan to locate it: † The demon they’re facing is called a gulabus. It’s a relatively weak demon that relies on trickery and deception to do harm. † Demons of greed can make cursed food that allows them to control anyone who eats it. The gulabus probably already has multiple people at its service in town (see “The Gulabus’s Cursed Food” sidebar on page 9 for more information on the food). † If the adventurers track down someone that ate this food, she’ll be able to perform an exorcism and free him of the demon’s curse. † That person will then feel a residual connection to the demon for a few minutes. She can use mind-enhancing drugs to reveal this link and divine the demon’s location. † She would like the PCs to help her find a townsman that ate the demon’s food, assist her with the exorcism, and kill the demon. Demon Lore The characters can make an Intelligence (Religion) check to learn more about demons and how to find them. How much information they obtain depends on their check result and whether th whether they know ey know that they that they’re facing a facing a gulabus gulabus or not. DC 10. The character recalls basic information about demons. She knows that fiends seek mortal allies and that religious inquisitors usually start by tracking down these minions to locate their master. People consorting with fiends often have odd behaviors or physical deformities, and try to keep a low profile. Finding a demon’s allies is often only a matter of asking around if anyone is missing or behaving strangely. DC 15. If the character knows that he’s facing a gulabus, he recalls how inquisitors find these types of demons. They first exorcise the worms from a contaminated person. After the exorcism, this person has hazy images of the demon and its surroundings for a few minutes. They then give the contaminated person mind-enhancing drugs that make these visions clear, and ask this person to describe the demon’s surrounding. This is usually enough to pinpoint the This is usually enough to pinpoint the location of location of the gulabus. On a successful check, the character also knows that only someone with proper training can perform the exorcism (see “The Exorcism” below for more information on the ritual).
13 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Carla Ruttenberry The demon of greed left with Carla’s body shortly after contaminating Mortimer with the fiendish food. Carla was in love with a half-elf named Belfur Spigul. He was a hunter who owned a small cottage outside of town. The demon killed the woodsman and is now living in his house. Carla Ruttenberry is the only person in town who is miss who is missing. If the ch f the characters s aracters search f earch for tracks near her house, or if they interact with the hunter’s dog, they can find the cottage the demon is hiding in. In either case, the characters find the hunter’s dead body on their way to his house. Rumors in Town Womford is a omford is a small vil small village. W lage. When someone hen someone is behaving strangely or is missing, someone is sure to notice it. The PCs learn the following information by asking around: † Nobody saw Jacksal and Mortimer for days but this isn’t surprising to the townsfolk. They always practice for days before the pie contest. † Multiple people report that Carla Ruttenberry didn’t show up for their appointment. This is highly unusual because Carla would never leave her patients without their medicine. Carla’s House When the When the PCs arriv PCs arrive at the e at the herbalist herbalist’s house, s house, read or paraphrase the boxed text below. Carla lives in a small house at the top of a hill overlooking Womford. When you arrive there, all you find is a note saying that she’s gone out to visit her family. A white dog with a sad look on her face is lying in the grass nearby. She’s been staring at you from the moment she saw you. The gulabus left the door unlocked. When the PCs enter the house, the place is tidy and clean. There isn’t anything unusual about it other than a slight smell of sulfur hanging in the air. When the d When the demon and emon and Belfur left town, left town, the hunter’s dog, Nala, stayed behind to watch over the house. She has been waiting there ever since. (The dog leaves the premises every now and then to find food and water but you should assume she’s there when the PCs arrive.) Tracking racking Carla. The couple left a tenday ago and their tracks have nearly disappeared. With a successful DC 19 Wisdom (Survival) check, a character manages to find them anyway and follow them to the cottage in the hills. Interacting w Interacting with Nala. ith Nala. The hunter’s dog has been waiting near Carla’s house for nearly a tenday. When the character the characters arrive t s arrive there, she’ here, she’s tired and impatient to go home. The characters can make a DC 11 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to notice the dog’s odd behavior. Nala can also find her way back to the cottage. If the characters succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check, they can convince Nala to take them to the hunter’s house. The PCs can also cast a speak with animals spell and ask the dog to take them there. Dakara Spuma
14 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED The Dead Hunter The demon slaughtered Belfur an hour after leaving town and dumped his body on the side of the dirt trail leading to his house. Read or paraphrase the boxed text below. The half-eaten corpse of a man lies on the side of the trail. Judging from his advanced state of decomposition, he’s been there for nearly a tenday. Dozens of maggots are drilling through his body. When you approach, two of them grow to the size of a small bear. Two fiendish maggots (page 23) attack the PCs. The worms don’t use any kind of tactic; they attack the PC closest to them. The Exorcism The characters can ask a trained exorcist to free someone that ate the gulabus’s cursed food from the demon’s control and divine the fiend’s location location afterwards afterwards. Finding an Exorcist Dakara Spuma briefly trained to become an inquisitor before becoming a parish priestess. She didn’t complete her training but she happens to know how to perform the exorcism and find the demon. If the characters search for an exorcist, the townsfolk tell them that they don’t know if anyone in town has that skillset, and suggest asking Dakara Spuma for help locating one. The Ceremony The exorcism doesn’t require anything other than a two hour ceremony and a few cheap components. The demon of greed, however, left a trap for anyone who tries to free one of its minions. Read or paraphrase the boxed text below. The exorcism is exactly as you imagined it. The village villager is tied t r is tied to a bed, s o a bed, screaming creaming, drooling , drooling, convulsing, and cursing in some strange language while Dakara tosses holy water at him. After two hours of an exhausting struggle, the priestess of Chauntea finally breaks the curse. The villager regurgitates a few maggots and then loses consciousness. Just when you thought it was over, two of the worms grow to enormous proportions and attack you. Two fiendish maggots (page 23) attack the PCs. The exorcism left Dakara exhausted and unable to do anything meaningful during the fight. Divining the Demon’s Location The villager regains consciousness shortly after the fight with the fiendish worms. He feels weak and a bit confused but he’s otherwise unharmed. Read or paraphrase the boxed text below. After gi After giving the vi ving the villager some time to some time to regain his bearings, Dakara brings over a potion and asks him to drink it. The man complies and begins to hallucinate. With the priestess’s guidance, he manages to gather enough details from his visions to from his visions to pinpoint the whereabouts pinpoint the whereabouts of the demon. The gulabus lives in a cottage in the rocky hills around Womford. Dakara then draws a crude map with the location of the house and hands it over to you. Development The trip to the demon’s cottage isn’t safe. The gulabus has many minions waiting in the wilderness to protect their master (see the next part of the adventure: “Into the Hills”).
15 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Part 4: Into the Hills The gulabus used the cursed apple pies The gulabus used the cursed apple pies that Mortimer baked for practice to gain allies around Womford, an omford, and it’s using them s using them to defend to defend its lair its lair. As the PCs m As the PCs make the ake their way to the “H y to the “Hunter’s Cottage”, they encounter a group of “Elven Hunters” waiting in ambush. The Elven Hunters A group of fi A group of five elven hunters (page 23) ambush the PCs on their way to the gulabus’s cottage. Their plan is to kill the weaker party members with their with their bows and bows and lure me lure melee comba lee combatants into tants into their traps. Sentries (Area 1). These two elven hunters have a clear view of the trail and attack the PCs on sight. They hope to draw melee fighters into the falling tree trap. If the elves succeed on a Dexterity (Stealth) check against the PCs’ passive Perceptions, the characters begin the encounter surprised. Elven Arch Elven Archers (Area 2). ers (Area 2). These elves stay out of sight (no check to notice them) until the hunters in Area 1 attack the PCs. They then join the fig join the fight and s ht and shoot at the c hoot at the characters haracters with their bows. To reach them, the PCs can either climb up a 45-ft high cliff with a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check, or go around. Falling T alling Tree (Area 3). ree (Area 3). The elves cut the base of a tree so that the of a tree so that the hunter hiding next to it can hunter hiding next to it can easily make it fall on anyone on the trail. Both the assailant and the cut part of the tree are hidden in thorns. A PC within 60 feet of the elf can make at a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice him. The elf is waiting for his allies to tell him when to push the tree (Ready action). The combatant can use his Reaction to make a melee attack with a +6 with a +6 bonus agai bonus against a sing nst a single targe le target within 15 t within 15 feet. The attack deals 3d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit. On his next turn, the elf engages the adventurers in melee. Bear T Bear Traps (Area 4) raps (Area 4). The assailants concealed multiple bear traps in the thorny bushes covering this area. Anyone going through them has a 25% chance of triggering one of the traps. A character can make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice the snare and avoid it. The bear trap makes a melee attack with a +4 bonus against a creature that steps on it and deals 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. On a successful attack, that creature is also grappled until it uses creature is also grappled until it uses its action its action to free itself of the trap (no check). Cover. The elves use the rocks and trees of the area to gain cover against the PCs ( half cov half cover ).
16 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Thorns. The whole area is covered in thorny bushes. The thorns are difficult terrain and deal 1 point of piercing damage to anyone who moves more than 10 feet inside of the thorns on their turn. Treasure. The elves don’t have anything valuable valuable other than other than the coin in the coin in their be their belt pouches. The PCs find 134 gp, 231 pouches. The PCs find 134 gp, 231 sp, and 124 sp, and 124 cp on them. The Hunter’s Cottage The demon lives in a small cottage in the middle of the wooded hills around Womford. The Garden As the PCs a As the PCs approach th pproach the hunter’ e hunter’s house, the s house, they notice an unusual number of rats in the garden and around the house. Read or paraphrase the boxed text boxed text below. You arriv ou arrive at a s e at a stone cottag tone cottage built in e built in a clearing, deep in the woods. As you approach, dozens of rats crawl out of the half-eaten corpse of a horse lying near the doorstep and run away. When you When you look around look around you, you you, you notice man notice many more rodents scurrying around the house. The rats are harmless until the gulabus summons them. The characters can eliminate the rodents as a precaution, in which case they don’t come to assist the fiend during its encounter with the adventurers (see “The Cottage” below). The Cottage When the PC When the PCs arriv s arrive at the h e at the hunter’s cottage, s cottage, the Gulabus has fully possessed Carla and transformed her body into its own. Read or paraphrase the boxed text below. The humble cottage only has a single room. A morbidly obese woman with deformed facial features is eating maggot-infested food at a table in the middle of it. She smiles at you and says: “Well met, friends. Would you like to join me for lunch?” She doesn’t seem hostile but your insti your instinct tells nct tells you to be you to be careful. careful. The demon is trying to gain time. Her pet rats are scattered in and around the house and they need some time to regroup and form two swarms of rats (MM page 339). If (MM page 339). If the adventurers fall for the trick, she attacks the PCs after the swarms join her. Otherwise, one of the swarms forms at the end of the first round, and the other one at the end of the second round. Treasure. The PCs find 120 The PCs find 120 gp, 154 sp, eight gp, 154 sp, eight black jaspers each worth 50 gp, two potions of healing, and a potion of wa potion of water breathi ter breathing. If the characters kill the demon, Carla dies in the process and the baron tells them to keep whatev whatever they er they find in the find in the hunter’ hunter’s house. s house. Exorci Exorcising Carla. sing Carla. Carla isn’t beyond saving. If the characters succeed at a DC 12 Wisdom (Religion) check, they understand that the deformed woman in front of them is most likely a townsfolk whom the demon possessed, and that a trained cleric should be able to exorcise the fiend from the woman. If the PCs manage to save Carla from the demon, the girl Carla from the demon, the girl is grateful to them is grateful to them and lets them keep anything she owns. The Gulabus Medium Medium fiend (dem fiend (demon), chaotic e on), chaotic evil Armor Class HP 15 (natural) 82 (11d8+33) Speed 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Strength +5, Charisma +6 Skills Deception +6, Perception +4, Persuasion +6 Damage Resistance cold, lightning Damage Immunities fire, poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Abyssal, telepathy 60 ft. (works only with creatures that understand Common or Abyssal) Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Actions Multiatta Multiattack. The gulabus can make three attacks: one with its bite, a with its bite, and two with nd two with its claws. its claws. Bite. Melee W Melee Weapon Attack: eapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10+2) piercing damage. Claws. Melee W Melee Weapon Attack eapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage. The target can make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw to halve the poison damage.
17 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Concluding the Adventure The adventure ends when the PCs defeat the gulabus or leave town. Story Awards If the adventurers defeat the demon before the banquet, they gain 500 XP each. They also gain 500 XP each for exorcising Carla instead of killing her, and an extra 250 XP each for discovering that Jayda and Timeo were the arsonists. The baron also gives the PCs 250 gp for finding out what happened to Jacksal’s kitchen, and 200 gp and a mithril c mithril chain shi hain shirt for defeating the gulabus. Ironford Knights The baron Harrick of Ironford offers land to the characters for their help. They can either choose to have a small plot of farmland and pay taxes, or become Ironford knights. If the players choose the latter, they become the vassals of Harrick Ironford and acquire a land that is similar to their own small kingdom: they make the laws, they collect taxes, they can build a castle, etc. This land, however, comes with responsibilities towards their liege. The characters need to swear to protect the barony of Ironford and grant Harrick up to 100 days per year of military service. Adventures in Womford Small baronies such as Womford are ideal bases of operation for low level characters. If the PCs decide to stay in town, they might not get the peaceful farmer’s life they were hoping for. The Womford Bat When cle When clearing his aring his family’ family’s house, the s house, the baron defeated a large bat called a Sinister. These types of creatures normally live in the Underdark and are extremely territorial. Whatev Whatever caused er caused the bat to the bat to flee to the flee to the surface is probably still lurking in the caves below Womford. The Miller Darrel Magnoso has been operating the gristmill ever since Harrick’s father built it. When the former baron died and Harrick didn’t return to rule over the barony, Darrel continued to run the mill and kept the money he charged for himself. Over the years, he became a rich and respected man, but when Harrick came back to Womford, Darrel reverted to being a simple employee. The old miller hates the baron for it. He’s now searching for outside help to overthrow Womford’ omford’s new ruler. The Gulabus The spirit of the gulabus is tied to the statuette of an obese man that Carla Ruttenberry found lying on a table in one of her clients’ cottage. When the PCs defeat the demon of greed in the hunter’s cottage, the statuette is nowhere to be found. Where is Where is the statuette the statuette? What ha ? What happened wh ppened when the players defeated Carla? Did the demon die with her, or did its spirit return to the receptacle? Do the PCs need to track the statuette down before it finds a new owner?
19 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Appendix I: The Village of Womford Womford is a omford is a tiny ha tiny hamlet on the mlet on the banks of banks of the Dessarin River, located northwest of Waterdeep. It consists of a town square with a Church, a grist mill, a few tiny shops, and a handful of cottages surrounded by farms. Accordi According to the le ng to the legend, th gend, the villag e village was on e was once called Ironford until a dragon took control of called Ironford until a dragon took control of it. When the v When the villager illagers united be s united behind their hind their baron to defeat the creature, they renamed it “Wyrm Ford.” Over the years, the name was transformed and became Womford. Recent History Fifty years ago, Womford was a tiny hamlet about one third of its current size. Everything changed when the when the former baro former baron, Ulric n, Ulrich of Ironford h of Ironford, built the heavy-duty gristmill, the granaries, and the docks. Since then, Womford has kept growing as new farmers settled around the small town center. It also became a stopping place for pilgrims after the baron pilgrims after the baron ordered ordered the construction of St. Oswald’s church. When Ulr When Ulrich die ich died five y d five years ago, the only heir to the barony was nowh was nowhere to be ere to be found. His found. His son, Harrick, had left years before to live the life of an adventurer. The Ironford knights and the villagers had no choice but to rule over Womford on their own. This peaceful situation didn’t last for long. A few months after the former baron’s death, a water g water genasi nam enasi named Shoala ed Shoalar Quander r Quanderil arri il arrived in town and exploited the longtime rivalry that existed between the knights to trigger a war between them. Shoalar then killed the few surviving knights, took control of the town, and made Womford the base of operations for his smuggling activities. The bandit king ruled over the town for a few years bef years before adve ore adventurers go nturers got rid of hi t rid of him. Two months after his demise, Harrick of Ironford came back to reclaim his heritage. At first, the villager villagers welcomed him omed him with sk with skepticism a epticism and sometimes outright hostility, but when the baron tracked down and slayed the so-called Womford Bat, he won their trust and they accepted him as their liege. The bat was a Sinister that fled the Underdark and found refuge in the old Ironford keep a few miles outside of town. The baron didn’t actually find the bat; he accidently stumbled on it while ridding the place of its denizens. All the baron wanted w wanted was to reh as to rehabilitate abilitate his famil his family’s fortified s fortified house. Nevertheless, history will remember him as Harrick as Harrick “the Bat “the Bat Slayer.” The Barony of Ironford Womford is p omford is part of the art of the barony of Ironford of Ironford and as such lives under the rule of the baron Harrick of Ironford. With the exception of serfdom, which the current ruler abolished as soon as he gained power, Womford is a typical feudal village. Economy Most of Womford’s economy is centered on agriculture and the transportation of grain and flour. In spite of the village’s thriving economy, most villagers are poor farmers who work together and share their tools. They spend whatev whatever little m er little money the oney they make to pay their taxes, and to use the gristmill and the oven. Laws Harrick doesn’t believe in rules and is a bit lax about the laws. He tends to use his common sense to judge peopl judge people instead e instead of the cus of the customary and tomary and canon laws under which the village is supposed to abide. For now, people don’t seem to mind because he has proven himself to be a fair and just person. Defense Womford has omford has very little i very little in terms of n terms of armies an armies and defense. Most of the Ironford knights died during the feud wars and the survivors either fled or were ki were killed by S lled by Shoalar. Things started changing when Harrick returned. Most people who possess land in Womford are omford are villeins w villeins who owe the baron a the baron a few days of days of unpaid labo unpaid labor per year. Traditionally, raditionally, feudal lords use their serfs and villeins to repair roads or work in their fields. Harrick, instead, spends these days teaching the villagers how to fight.
20 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Important NPCs You may find belo find below a quic w a quick summary of k summary of the important NPCs of Womford and their role in the adventure. Unless otherwise stated, the NPCs have the statistics of a commoner (MM page 345). Harrick of Ironford Harrick (knight; MM page 347; when in town, Harrick wears his mithril chain shirt and only has an AC 13) is the current baron of Ironford. When his f When his father die ather died a few years w years ago, he ago, he dodged his duty to live the life of an adventurer. He came back a few months ago, after learning that smugglers and thieves had briefly gained control of his village. In the Ad In the Adventure. venture. Harrick hires the players to investigate the mysterious fire at the beginning of the adventure (see “A Suspicious Fire”), and to track down the demon living in Womford (see “The Demon of Womford”). Dakara Spuma Dakara (priest; MM page 348) is a ; MM page 348) is a parish priestess of Chauntea. This middle-aged woman is the village’s spiritual guide. She helps people understand the ways of the Great Mother and conducts the important religious rites and ceremonies. In the Ad In the Adventure. venture. Dakara can assist the players in finding the gulabus and in performing an exorcism on Mortimer (see “The Demon of Womford”). A omford”). At your disc t your discretion, the retion, the priestess priestess can also help the PCs understand some of the clues they find in the first part of the adventure. (Dakara has a +3 modifier to her Intelligence (Religion) checks.) Carla Ruttenberry Carla is Carla is the town’ the town’s herbalis s herbalist and healer. She’s also a would-be witch who makes a few extra coins reading people’s fortune and selling bogus magical trinkets and spells. In the Ad In the Adventure. venture. The demon possessed Carla and left with her body before the PCs arrive in town. They won’t interact with her until the adventure is over (assuming they don’t kill her). Mortimer Wormstooth Mortimer is the wealthiest farmer in town. He’s the only one with enough land to live a comfortable life. Mortimer is also a wellrespected philanthropist who provides food for the poor in times of need. In the Ad In the Adventure. venture. Carla contaminated Mortimer with the cursed food before the PCs arrive in Womford. If the characters don’t stop him before the Womford Pie Contest, Mortimer contaminates the entire village (see “Mortimer Wormstooth ormstooth” on pag ” on page 7). Jacksal Longboot Jacksal Jacksal is the ric is the richest man i hest man in Womford. H omford. He made his fortune renting land and lending money. Jacksal Jacksal is a ruthl is a ruthless thug wh ess thug who doesn o doesn’t hesitate to sitate to intimidate anyone that owes him money. In the Ad In the Adventure. venture. Shortly before the PCs arrive in town, a fire took place in Jacksal’s kitchen. The baron hires the characters to investigate on the arson (see “Jacksal Longboot” on page 7). Darrel Magnoso Darrel and his family have run the gristmill ever since the former baron built it. Darrel continued to run the mill after Ulrich died, and kept all the money he made for himself. Over the years, he became a prominent figure in town. After adventurers defeated the bandits ruling over the hamlet, he even briefly attempted to become Womford’ omford’s first el s first elected ma ected mayor. That w . That was until th as until the baron returned, of course. Georgina Tucker Georgina is a wandering peddler that’s in town for the banquet in honor of Chauntea. She’s the closest thing to an alchemist the PCs will find during the adventure. In the Ad In the Adventure. venture. Georgina can help the PCs discover that a demon is living in Womford (see “The Demon Ash” on page 9). Notable Places Womford only omford only has a ha has a handful of s ndful of significant ignificant landmarks. The Gristmill Harrick’s father built this massive gristmill to replace the old windmill that couldn’t keep up with the town’s grain production anymore. Its construction triggered an economic and demographic boom that endures up to this day.
21 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED St. Oswald’s Church This stone church is the pride of Womford. The former baron named it in honor of St. Oswald who sav who saved the vil ed the village fro lage from famine m famine during the during the Spellplague. The Year of the Blue Fire was particularly dry in Womford and the people barely had enough food to survive. The priests of Chauntea of that time couldn’t channel their goddess’ power because of the cataclysm and could and couldn’t help the cro the crops grow. F ps grow. Fortunately, ortunately, Oswald found a way to reconnect with the Grain Goddess before anyone died. St. Jeremy’s Statue Jeremy Jeremy was the was the baron who baron who united the united the people of Womford against the dragon that once took control of the village. This old crumbing statue of a knight holding a sword has become a shrine of Helm. The Oven Like in most feudal villages, the people of Womford don omford don’t have ovens in the ens in their houses a ir houses and rent a public one that belongs to the baron. Shops Womford has omford has a handful a handful of informa of informal shops w l shops where the PCs can buy or barter low quality goods. The only noteworthy ones are the Spitfire Inn and Terega’s Supplies. Spitfire Inn The Spitfire Inn is nothing more than a barn turned into a shared room. Even though it still has a faint smell of manure, the place is clean and the beds are comfortable. The inn is also fairly cheap. For only 2 sp per night, a traveler gets decent lodging and a warm dinner.
22 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED The owner, Marla Spitfire, is a friendly elderly woman who loves to hear about the outside world. She’s also a lonely person who pesters travelers for company. She lives with her youngest youngest son Jones, w son Jones, who spends hi ho spends his days in the town square searching for clients. Terega’s Supplies This informal shop is run by a half-orc woman called Terega. It’s the closest thing to a general store the PCs store the PCs can find. Although it mostly sells can find. Although it mostly sells agricultural tools, the adventurers can also buy or trade many common goods such as rope, leather goods, lantern oil, etc. Around Womford You may find belo find below the impor w the important place tant places around Womford. Ironford Keep Ironford Keep is little more than a crumbling fortified house, though it has gotten better since Harrick started renovating it. The building holds the Ironford family’s living quarters, a jail, and a meeting hall from which Harrick conducts the hamlet’s affairs and exercises justice. Bargewright Inn The Bargewright Inn is a walled community located on the other side of the Dessarin River, a couple of miles north of Womford. It fell under the influence of the Zhentarim a few years ago, and is now an advanced outpost from which the organization conducts its operations in the region. The Old Windmill The old windmill lies at the top of hill overlooking Womford, half a mile east, outside of town. Once the pride of the town. Once the pride of the hamlet, it has been hamlet, it has been out of use since Ulrich built the gristmill. The building, however, is not completely abandoned. The children of Womford often gather here to play, even though their parents strictly forbade it. Marla Spitfire
23 BANQUET OF THE DAMNED Appendix II: New Monsters This appendix contains statistics for new monsters that appear in the adventure. Elven Hunter Medium h Medium humanoid umanoid, chaotic good , chaotic good Armor Class 15 (studded leather) HP 13 (3d8) Speed 35 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Elvish Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Mask of t Mask of the Wild. he Wild. The elven hunter can attempt to hide even when he’s lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Actions Scimitar. Melee W Melee Weapon Attac eapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage. Longbow Longbow. Ranged Ranged Weapon Attack: pon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150 ft./600 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage. Elven Hunters are cunning stalkers that are more comfortable in the wilds than in the warmth of warmth of their homes their homes. Fiendish Maggot Medium fi Medium fiend, chaotic end, chaotic evil Armor Class 13 (natural) HP 70 (11d8+21) Speed 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 5 (-3) 4 (-4) Damage Resistance cold, fire, lightning Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 7 Languages — Challenge 3 (700 XP) Stench. Any creature that starts its Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of turn within 10 feet of the fiendish maggot must succeed at a DC the fiendish maggot must succeed at a DC 12 Constitu 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its nex its next turn. t turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the fiendish maggot’s stench for 24 hours. Actions Multiatta Multiattack. The fiendish maggot makes two attacks: one with its bite a with its bite and one with nd one with its claws. its claws. Bite. Melee W Melee Weapon Attack eapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (2d4+3) piercing damage. Claws. Melee W Melee Weapon Attack eapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage. Fiendish Maggots are foul parasites of the lower planes. These creatures grow inside sentient humanoids and burst out when adult, killing its host in the process. Vomit Spawn Large ooze, un Large ooze, unaligned aligned Armor Class 8 HP 45 (6d8+18) Speed 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 6 (-2) 3 (-4) Damage Resistance piercing Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8 Languages — Challenge 1 (200 XP) Amorphous. The vomit spawn can move through space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. False Appear alse Appearance. While the vomit spawn remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate puddle of vomit. Stench. Any creature that starts its Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of turn within 10 feet of the vomit spawn must succeed at a DC the vomit spawn must succeed at a DC 12 Constitutio 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its nex its next turn. t turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the vomit spa vomit spawn’s stench for 24 stench for 24 hours. Actions Pseudopod. Melee W Melee Weapon Attac eapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage. Some people have a deadly reaction when they eat the food tainted by the essence of a gulabus. They vomit every fluid in their body, giving birth to a Vomit Spawn omit Spawn and leaving only a dried up corpse behind.